History classes are faulted for 'politicized distortion'

State history standards get 'D'Conservative think tank says politics have distorted curriculum

GARY SCHARRER, AUSTIN BUREAU |
February 15, 2011

AUSTIN — A conservative education think tank has severely criticized Texas' new social studies curriculum standards as a "politicized distortion of history … offering misrepresentations at every turn."

The harsh indictment of the new standards is almost certain to renew calls for the board to start over and develop an acceptable history curriculum to serve some 5 million Texas public school children for the next decade.

In a report being released today, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute gives the Texas social studies curriculum standards a "D" while accusing "the conservative majority" of using the curriculum "to promote its political priorities, molding the telling of the past to justify its current views and aims."

"Biblical influences on America's founding are exaggerated, if not invented. The complicated but undeniable history of separation between church and state is flatly dismissed," the group wrote.

The broad swipe from a respected conservative education think tank comes after civil rights groups and minority lawmakers have demanded the board scrap the standards and start over.

The Fordham Institute report faults the new Texas standards for distorting or suppressing aspects that the board found politically unacceptable, such as slavery and segregation, while exaggerating religious influences.

"The resulting fusion is a confusing, unteachable hodgepodge, blending the worst of two educational dogmas," the report said.

SBOE slams institute

Historian Sheldon Stern, co-author of the 50-state study, said much of the left-wing bias appearing in social studies standards during a 2003 report had disappeared. Texas standards, he said, now reflect a right-wing bias.

"They are trying to resurrect the old triumphal narrative in which everything in American history is wonderful as opposed to the left-wing narrative in which America is uniquely evil," Stern said. "In the end, who suffers but students because they don't learn real history at all."

"We believe the Fordham grade is based on misinformation," she said. "Fordham obviously does not know that the Texas Education Code requires us to teach the free enterprise system and its benefits. That's the primary reason the free enterprise system is emphasized throughout our document, rather than just relegated to a high school economics class."

Free enterprise emphasis

The study noted the 86 references to "free enterprise" in the Texas standards, calling it "a drumbeat of uncritical celebration of 'the free enterprise system and its benefits, resembling, in an inverted historical echo, Soviet schools harping on the glories of state socialism."

Lowe also disagreed with the report's assessment about the handling of slavery and segregation in the new Texas history standards.

Critics say Lowe's confirmation to remain as chairman could hinge on a willingness to reconsider the standards.

Senate Democrats could block her nomination as they did two years ago with Don McLeroy, R-Bryan. McLeroy, a social conservative, lost his re-election bid in last year's Republican primary.

"I don't oppose Ms. Lowe because of what she believes or what I believe," said Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, a member of the Senate Nominations Committee that will consider Lowe's confirmation later this spring. "I oppose her because she's left this very important board with so little credibility that even some conservative groups are all-but flunking it."

Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott played down the study because he said the Fordham Institute advocates for national curriculum standards.

"Given its funding sources, it is not surprising that it would attack a state that has opposed national standards," said Scott, noting the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation supports the Institute.

Institute 'right-of-center'

"We could be described as right-of-center," Institute spokeswoman Amy Fagan said. "We support education reform and are definitely critical of the status quo. We support school choice and more options for parents — including high-quality charter schools and voucher programs. And we are particularly big on smart accountability and high-quality standards."

Texas is one of 28 states that got a grade of "D" or "F" in the group's report. Study authors say a majority of states are neglecting U.S. history in their academic expectations. The study and grading system emphasized content and rigor; clarity and specificity.

Minority and civil rights groups have complained loudly about the social studies curriculum standards, which they claimed distorted history and shortchanged the contributions of minorities.

A complaint filed by the Texas chapters of LUCAC and the NAACP is pending at the U.S. Department of Education.